Retractable writing instrument, particularly of the ball point type



Dec. 8, 1959 H. BROSS 2,916,014

RETRACTABLE WRITING INSTRUMENT. PARTICULARLY OF, THE BALL POINT TYPEFiled Jan. 10. 1956 inventor:-

\wtilllll Inite tates RETRACTABLE WRETING INSTRUMENT, PAR- TICULARLY OFTHE BALL POlNT TYPE Helrnut Bross, Braunschweig, Germany, assignor toGunther Wagner, Hannover, Germany The present invention relates to aretractable writing instrument of the type having a hollow stem orsheath member accommodating a carrier member for the writing meansproper, which carrier member is displaceable by finger pressurelongitudinally of said stem or sheath member and is spring-urged in sucha manner that a toothed sleeve member connected with said carrier memberrests against suitable abutments provided in the stem or sheath member,said abutments being respectively provided for the inoperative and theoperative position of said carrier member, and more particularly thepresent invention relates to a ball point pen of the aforeindicatedtype. It is one of the main objects of the invention to simplify themechanism serving to produce the necessary movements and to improve thedependability in operation of the said ball point pen.

One essential feature of the invention resides in the fact that the saidsleeve member is supported within the said sheath member forlongitudinal as well as rotary motion independently of both the pressbutton and the said carrier member and that teeth are provided on oneend face only of the sleeve member, the said teeth being in the form ofindexing teeth of different depth and being engaged by a longitudinallymovable stop projection which is held against rotation. Another featureof the invention resides in the fact that the end face of the saidsleeve member remote from the said indexing teeth abuts an internalshoulder of the sheath member against the action of a spring which isweaker than the return spring for the carrier member,

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the said carrier member isprovided with an elongated, preferably rail-shaped projection which thesaid return spring is adapted to engage in the teeth of the said sleevemember. It is convenient, according to the invention, to provide for thesaid rail-shaped projection to be guided by suitable means providedwithin the sheath member, which latter has a fixed stop portion adaptedto cooperate with the indexing teeth of the sleeve member.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation, of apreferred embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 2 a fragmentary side-elevational view of the mechanism, the sleevemember being developed into the drawing plane.

Referring now more in particular to the drawings, there is providedwithin a hollow sheath member, which may, for example, comprise twothreadedly connected parts 1 and 2, a tubular ball point carrier 3 whichis movable in a longitudinal direction and carries at one end a ballpoint insert 3. The ball point carrier is acted upon by a return spring4 one end of which abuts against an internal shoulder of the sheathpart 1. The ball point carrier has a longitudinally extendingrail-shaped projec- 2,9 l 6,0 14 Fatented Dec. 8, 1959 ice tion 5 whichis guided in a groove provided in an internal projection or boss 6 ofthe sheath member 1. The rear end of the ball point carrier 3 issurrounded by a sleeve member 7 the plane rear face 8 of which abutsagainst an internal shoulder 9 of the sheath member 2. The opposite endface of the sleeve member 7 has formed therein a plurality of teeth llof which every second tooth has a slot ll of such width as to permit theslot to be engaged by the rail-shaped projection 5. The end face 8 ofthe sleeve member 7 is acted upon by a spring 12 one end of which restsagainst a collar 13 of a substantially cylindrical press button member14 of which one end projects outwardly of the interior of the sheath.The inner end of the press button member 14 rests directly against theadjacent end of the ball point carrier 3. Part of the press buttonmember 14 is surrounded by a closure member 15' which is threaded intothe sheath member 2 and which may, if desired, serve to retain a clipmember 15. It will be noted that the spring 12 is weaker than the spring4.

Fig. 1 shows the aforementioned parts in their respective positions ofrest. In order to move the ball point carrier into its operativeposition, the button member 14- is depressed in the direction of arrow17. This will cause the tubular carrier 3 to be advanced with therailshaped projection or boss 5 sliding along the groove of the sheathprojection 6. The sleeve member 7 follows the movement of the ball pointcarrier 3 under the influence of spring 12 until one tooth 10 engages asloping abutment 18 provided on the top of internal projection 6. Afterthis point has been reached, only the ball point carrier 3 will continueto advance. As soon as the railshaped projection 5 emerges from the slot11 of the sleeve member 7, the spring 12, under the influence of theinclination of tooth 10, will turn the sleeve member 7 in the directionof arrow 19 until the next following tooth 14? engages the slopingabutment 18. Upon the button member 14 being released, the return spring4 will return the ball point carrier 3. During this latter action therailshaped projection 5 will engage the tooth gap 10" and, during itsfurther withdrawal, will return the sleeve member 7 against the force ofspring 12 until the sleeve member rests against the shoulder 9. Now theball point carrier is in its advanced or operative position in readinessto be used for writing purposes.

To withdraw the ball point carrier, the button member 14 is againdepressed in the direction of arrow 17. This will again cause the ballpoint carrier 3, the rail-shaped projection 5 and the sleeve member 7 tobe advanced. Upon the projection 5 emerging from the tooth gap 10", thisbeing possible because the sloping abutment 18 prevents the sleevemember 7 from being advanced any further, the sleeve member '7 isindexed round by one tooth, this action placing in readiness for thenext operation of the mechanism a tooth having a slot 11 therein. Uponthe button member 14 being released, the ball point carrier will beretracted, the rail-shaped projection 5 engaging in a slot 11, thuspermitting the ball point carrier to be fully retracted, the resultbeing that the various parts again assume the positions shown in Fig. 1.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim:

1. A writing instrument of the ball point type comprising in combinationa hollow sheath, a ball point carrier slidably mounted in said sheathfor motion between a writing position and a retracted position, a springfixed between one end of the carrier and the sheath and urging the saidcarrier toward retracted position, a press button fixed to the other endof said carrier to move the carrier against the spring force and towardthe writing position, a sleeve embracing said carrier and movable therewith and also slidably and rotatably movable relative thereto, a seriesof teeth formed on one end face of the said sleeve and directed towardthe -ball point, a' series of relatively deep notches formed in thesleeve end face and arrang d in alternately successive teeth, anelongated projection fixed to the said carrier to engage at One endthereof against a tooth or into a notch in said sleeve, the retractedposition of the carrier being defined by the said elongated projectionentering into a notch in the sleeve and the writing position beingdefined by the projection engaging against a tooth of the series ofteeth on the sleeve and means formed on the internal surface of thesheath to be engaged by a sleeve tooth during said movement of thecarrier and sleeve to halt movement of said sleeve, permitting saidcarrier then to continue moving relative to said sleeve, said meanscamming the sleeve one'tooth pitch during the last portion of travel ofthe said sleeve for movement of said projection between said tooth andsaid notch.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1, including a shoulder formed onthe said carrier adjacent the other end thereof, a second springdisposed between said 3. The invention as set forth in claim 1, whereinthe said projection is rail shaped and the end facing the said sleevehas the same slope as the teeth formed on the sleeve end face.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 3, wherein the said last recitedmeans comprises a boss, a groove formed in the said boss to serve as aguide for the saidp'rojection formed on the said carrier, the end faceof the said boss having the same slope as the teeth of the sleeve andpositioned to engage a tooth at the end portion of the sleeve travel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

